Journal box lubricator pad



Jan. 20, 1959 c. D. BARTON ET AL 2,869,944

JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR PAD Filed NOV. 1, 1955 A34 I r INVENTORS J 2. d/aze/rcefl. 50/20/7 Mar/7Z5 A. 6452 United States Patent JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR PAD Clarence D. Barton, Kansas City, and Morris A. Case, Parkville, Mo., assignors to Gustin-Bacon Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Missouri Application November 1, 1955, Serial No. 544,101

Claims. (Cl. 308-243) This invention relates to a journal box lubricator pad for retaining and wicking car journal lubricating oil in standard railroad journal boxes and refers more particularly to such a pad having a relatively high density outer layer and a relatively low density filler, both of fibrous mat, the filler mat being rolled upon itself to form a cylindrical core and the pad assembly having means to prevent the soft center from working out of the shell and the packing itself from shifting out of position in the journal box due to the rotary motion of the journal therein.

Standard railroad journal packing boxes completely surround a cylindrical journal having a flanged outer portion thereon. This flanged portion constricts the space between the journal and the packing box so that the entrance to the packing chamber is smaller than the space to be occupied by the packing material, thus making it necessary to bend and compress packing ma-.

terials being inserted in the box. Additionally, in use, the babbitt-faced bronze bearing which overlies the journal may jump at considerable distance from its seat on the journal, as, for instance, as much as a quarter of an inch.

The prevalent form of journal box packing is cotton and wool waste material which has been immersed in and saturated with oil for a considerable period prior to, use. The purpose of such journal packing is to wick up oil from the bottom of the journal box and transfer it to the underside of the journal so as to continuously lubricate the surface of the journal as it passes under the bearing. Thus, additional quantities of oil are inserted in the box, occupying variouslevels in the lower portion thereof and wicking up through the packing material to the underside of the journal.

Due to the considerable motion of the journal, if any of the packing material is'loose and is carried up by the journal so as to intrude itself between the bearing and the journal, so-called waste grab occurs which generates considerable friction and heat and, if of sufiicient magnitude and duration, causes the so-called hot box. Since the materials of prior use, such as cotton, quickly carbonize, they contribute to friction and heat, thus promoting hot-boxes and wear on the journal. These conventional materials create a constant maintenance problem, it being necessary to closely inspect each journal at the R. R. division points, or every 250 miles.

It is the common practice to remove these packing materials at intervals, launder and renovate them, and return them to service. In the case of the loose fill or bulk materials, they are easily pulled from the box by means of a metallic hook, the till material being fairly well integrated by the interentanglement of its fibers,

and, in particular, by the waste.

A shaped or formed material which will maintain a constant pressure on the underside of the journal, and therefore insure its lubrication, is preferred over the loose fill materials which have been used in, the past.

thread stock present in the provides optimum wear, toughness for insertion and oil 2,869,944 Patented Jan. 20, 1959 However, difliculties of inserting and removing a molded wickingpad through the small opening have usually precluded the use of formed materials. Additionally, it has been previously impossible to provide a formed molded wicking pad which will retain its position in the lower portion centrally of the journal box and not shift out of position, especially if the pad has been in a condition of cold set" in the box.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a formed or shaped journal box lubricator pad which exerts a constant pressure on the underside of the journal thereby insuring proper lubrication, said pad insertable in the journal box for long periods of time without removal or reconditioning while retaining its form and functional characteristics.

A further object of this invention is to provide a journal box packing element which may be conveniently inserted or removed through the small entrance to the journal box or journal packing chamber without the use of special tools.

A further object is to provide a formed or shaped journal box lubricator pad which will minimize waste grab while exerting constant pressure on the underside of the journal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box lubricator pad having a dense outer layer which wicking and a lower density filter which exerts the least practicable amount of pressure on the underside of the journal while providing the desired surface contact, thereby permitting the journal to be run at a relatively low temperature, and providing optimum cold set characteristics and fast, easy, cold temperature breakway of the paid from the journal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a journal box lubricator pad of resilient, fibrous mat, the upper portion thereof having an open mesh cloth fabric over the journal-contacting area which both lets go of the oil and helps prevent fibers from being torn loose from the packing and the underside covered by a heavy close-weave mesh cloth which will withstand the tear-- ing action of packing irons during insertion of the packing into the journal packing chamber and provide a smooth surface which more readily slides over rough casting of box.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a journal box lubricator pad of resilient fibrous mat formed into a cylindrical packing element, said element having a relatively low density filler portion and a relatively high density outer shell portion and means cooperating therebetween to keep the soft center thereof from working out of the denser shell and also to prevent the entire. element from shifting out of its desired position in the journal box.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

In the drawings which form a part of the instant specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, there is shown an embodiment of the invention and, in the various views,;like numerals are employed to indi cate like parts.

Fig. 1 is a side view with parts in section of the inventive journal box lubricator pad.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the journal box lubricator pad of Fig- 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a journal box with the inventive journal box lubricator pad of Figs. 1 and 2 positioned therein and shown in end view.

The numeral 10 refers to the filler portion of the lubricator pad which is preferably a section of resilient fibrous mat rolled upon itself to form a cylindrical element.

pounds per cubic foot (1.7 pounds. per cubic. foot being. optimum) and is preferably composed of 6 denier, 3 inch length nylon staple fibers bonded together with a thermosetting. resinous. binder such; as vphenolformaldehyde. Other. synthetic materials such as Teflon (tetrafluoroethylene.) and. Dacron (condensation product of dimethylterephthalate and ethylene-glycol); inlike dimensions may also be employed. The binder of such a filler should be 20% (plusor minus of the weight of the finished mat. with the resin binder in a lapping process (conventional in the art) wherein the fibers. are laid: on in continuous webs essentially horizontally. The fibersin such aprocess lie relatively parallel one another in the mat when the finished mat has been formed. Such a fiberlap mat has relatively greater strength; and resists fiber pullout more than mats wherein thefibers are randomly disposed in the mat. A. matof these specifications has best permanent resilience and easy. compressibility. for insertion. While having good permanent recovery, thismaterial does not tend to create too great.- an upward pressure against the journal which would raise the running. temperature. A filler exerting a relatively small amount of pressure on the underside of the journal will: run at a lower temperature, have better cold set characteristics. andwill be more apt to. be satisfactory. in cold temperature breakaway action.

The numeral l1, designates the outer shell of the lubricator pad. which preferably comprises-a. fibrous mat having a. density of from 7V2 to 13. pounds per cubic foot and. preferably 10 to 12 pounds: per cubic foot. Thefibers of this outer shell mat are preferably. 3. denier staple crimped nylon fibers 2 /2 inchesin length, bonded together with a thermosetting resin such as phenolformaldehyde. Other synthetic fibers such as Teflon (tetralluoroethylene) and Dacron (condensation product of dimethylterepthalate and ethylene glycol) in like dimensions may also be employed. In the shell mat the binder resin should. be 35% plus or minus 5% by'weight of thefinished; mat. the previously noted lapping process and thus are tied into thistype of mat very closely and cannot be readily pulled out. A relatively. high density ofmat is required in the outer shell for wear, toughness for insertion and oil retention. At higher densities: than listed the outer shell material retains oil too well and the bearing does,

not getsutficient oil. Where a single layer of outer shell mat is employed, the joint is preferablyuposie tioned opposite the journal. contact areanextjthebottom of the journal box.

The outer shell lower cover 12'. is made up of knitted resin treated nylon mesh of a relatively close weave 4 mesh preferred). Cover 12' encloses all Of the outer area. of the pad but they contact area with the journal. The outer shell upper cover 13 ispreferably made up of knitted resin treated nylon fabric of open mesh type, the fabric having. oval openingspreferably x /4". The openings 13a are staggeredinithefabric. The outer shell upper cover 13 is employed only in the area of contact of the journal'packing with the journal (21) itself. the underside of the journal packingwill withstand the tearing action of packing irons: during insertion oftheelement into the journal box. At 14 is shown the means for.- fixing the outer shell lower cover and upper cover to the outer shell, namely, by machine sewing the cover to the outer shell with nylon thread. Thejoint in the outer shell is shown at 15. This joint is preferably'posh.

tionedat the bottom central portion of the ,journal packing opposite the journal contact area. The joint isclosed' by extension 12a of the outer shell'lower cover which, in turn, is stitched to the cover 12 and underlying outer shell mat 11.

Heavy nylon cord loops" 16 closed by knots-1.7 penetrate diametrically through the; lubricator; pad andserye;

in formulation of. the mat, the fibers.- are united The fibers areformed with the resin in- The use of a heavy'close-weave cloth onto prevent the filler. portion 10 from working out of the cover or outer shell portion 11 and the entire journal packing assembly from rolling under the influence of the rotating journal when positioned in the journal box. Two cords are preferably employed at each end of the packing element. The cords 16 preferably but not necessarily interengage one with the other at each end of the pad. In cross-section the. cords are positioned at an angle from 47 to 53 from the vertical cross-sectional axis of the pad positioned properly in the journal box or, in other words the vertical angles between the cords may range from 94 to 106. The purpose of the crosstie cords is to prevent rolling action of the pad. by its following the journal in itsdirectio-n of rotation, thereby moving up into the corner of the journal box. It has been found that a unitary pad, especially a pad formed in the manner of the applicants pad, that is, by rolling a mat upon. itself in cylindrical form (but without' the cr osstie cords), moves out of position in the journal box by walking along on. its outer surface similar to the motion of; tracks. on a tractor. Thus, such a pad does not slide or. slip. in. the. journal box but rolls alongits own. outer surface,.the upperv portion of it being carried by the rotary action ofythe. journal. When the inventive padwiththe crossties in it attempts to cling to the rotating surface. ofthe. journal and move in the above de scribed manner, one of: the cords slackens and the'other tightens up. Since the pad is restricted in height by-=the= journal, the pull of" the nylon cords 16 with tension on then prevailsand the pad breaks loose from the journal.

Referring to Fig. 3, journal box 18 has a lower packingportion 19 bounded. by inward extensions 20. *EX? tending into. the; boxls' isjournal 21', the portion shown in Fig. 3; comprising a; milled portion seating upwardly against bearing 22, and havinga terminal flange portion which; is not-shown. The lubricator padis designed to be positioned between the lower periphery of the journal and the surroundingbox 1.8 and extend axially not less than the length. of; the bearing contacting the journal. The pad is designed to over-occupy the space between said journal andv said. box, thereby'maintaining contact with the face of thejournal'under the severest operating conditions for an-extended length of time.

In the processof long term operation, the nylon mats show a large; number of, highly. advantageous characteristics. Such mats have tremendous oil retention capacity: (upto ZOtimes-their own. weight after. a. few moments immersion) caused-by, opened-up fibersgiving a large amount of fiber surface and the air. spaces in the. matstructure physically trapping the oil.. The fibers them selves have excellent permanent resilience which isnot' materially reduced; by immersion in oil, since they are not nearly asabsorptive as cotton and, therefore, do not become soggyas do. the. latter. The fibers'have; goodoil wick'ing: properties and therefore thezjournalz bearing surfaceruns. cooler; The fibersarerelatively:shortand; opened out and, if. they leave .the=pad, leave individually andnot in clumps (whichlattercase mightcausegrabsw if the clumps were to. lodge between the journal andbearing). There are no long fibers to wrap around and score the hearing. The small individual filamentsmelt: when trapped. between the bearingand. journal, andcflow out as a lubricant or harmlesswpart of the bearing surface, The -nylon-is a better conductor. of'heatthan cotton and should conduct heat away from the bearingmorereadily; Additionally, the nylon-ishydrophobic, tending to repel; water arising from sources suchas-highwater, snow, ice,- drippings and ice bunkers, etc.

From the foregoingiitgwill. b.e;se en that a: journal box: packing has-been provided. meeting aIlofj-the. objects: hereinabove set forth.

It; will. be understood; that, certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be-employedtwithout. reference to otherfeatures and subcombinations. contemplated byyandis within the scopeofthe-claims;

This is.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A journal box lubricator pad comprising a resilient fibrous mat rolled upon itself to form a cylindrical filler portion, a resilient fibrous mat of greater density than that comprising the said filler portion enclosing at least the major portion of the side wall of said filler portion to provide an outer shell thereon, said outer shell covered with open mesh fabric, the journal contacting portion of said outer shell covered with fabric of more open mesh than the mesh of the fabric covering the non-journal contacting portion thereof and engaging means extending through the lubricator pad and engaging both the filler and shell portions thereof.

2. A journal box lubricator pad as in claim 1 wherein the filler portion fibrous mat has a density in the range of .5 to 2 pounds per cubic foot.

3. A journal box lubricator pad as in claim 1 wherein the shell portion fibrous mat has a density in the range of 7 /2 to 13 pounds per cubic foot.

4. A journal box lubricator pad as in claim 1 wherein the outer shell and filler portion resilient mats are composed of synthetic fibers bonded together with a thermosetting resin.

5. A journal box lubricator pad as in claim 1 wherein the thermosetting resin in the resilient outer shell matranges from to percent by weight of the mat constituents and the thermosetting resin in the filler portion resilient mat ranges from 15 to 20 percent by weight of the mat constituents.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

